Undershelf task lights are widely used as fixtures for work surfaces such as desks, computer tables and the like. Typically they are elongated assemblies which are two, three, four or more feet in length, and are mounted to a lower surface of a shelf or overhang. They are typically spaced 15 inches to two feet above the underlying work surface.
Despite the use of diffusers of various types, such task lights frequently produce excessive glare, both direct glare into the user's eyes and reflected glare which is sometimes referred to as veiling reflections. Because the ability to see a task depends on the contrast or brightness difference between detail and the background for the detail (such as the contrast between the information on a page and the background provided by the page), it is important that the light source either enhances the contrast or reduces the contrast as minimally as possible.
If the light impinging on a task reflects equally off detail and background, information is obscured. Where direct or reflected glare is a problem, increasing the quantity of light simply increases the direct glare, the reflected glare, or both. Thus, when a task light must be placed where reflected glare at some locations of its use will be a problem, neither increasing light intensity nor the use of conventional diffusers, such as batwing or other diffusers, will reduce veiling reflections to as great a degree as would be desirable.
Thus, an undershelf task light fixture having reduced reflected glare, i.e. reduced veiling reflections throughout the entire work area, would be desirable.